Due to be driven by Nathan Jack, Thepowerofhealing is the only last-start winner in the 11 horse final field. The Maori’s Idol filly is looking for her 18^th career win but has drawn poorly with barrier ten.

Coming off a last start third place to Joe Bro in the Terang Trotters Cup is the ever improving Red Samurai, starting this Saturday in the back row barrier 11. The Clinton Welsh trained and driven Sundon Colt will have to pull out near career best form to overcome this less than favourable draw, but a recent run in the Group 1 Inter Dominion Championship will have boosted their confidence and the drop back in class here will suit them.

Dream A Moment is another trotter who made it to the Inter Dominion Championship final this year. Dream A Moment ran dead last in the Inter Dominion and then could only manage to finish eight in the Terang Cup last weekend, but the Kerryn Manning trained and driven filly is looking to improve on her recent form and has drawn barrier seven for Saturday.

Neville Welsh’s Si Capisco is another sharp gelding to keep an eye on starting from barrier five.

Meanwhile, premier horseman Chris Lang has two of his trotters running in the Charlton Cup, Kyvalley Mirage drawn ideally in barrier two and Groovy Bromac in nine.

The Charlton & District Community Bank Charlton Trotters Cup will run as race five at the meeting’s great eight race programme and is due to jump at 6:29pm.

The other highlight harness event of the night is race seven (7:24pm), where 12 quality pacers will contest the $25, 000 Charlton Pacers Cup.

2010 Charlton Trotters Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw:

Starting as the $3.90 favourite, the Peter Manning-trained Joe Bro beat home the Geoff Webster trained and driven Millburn Michael ($4.30) by a mere head with Red Samurai ($16.20) over 5m back for third.

It was a disappointing finish for some of the other fancied elects in the Cup including Dream A Moment ($7.50) in eighth, Earl Of Mot ($5.60) in ninth and Bete Noire ($8.60) who finished dead last. Bete Noire surprised many after starting badly and tiring terribly leading to a vets’ examination after the race.

Runner-up Milburn Michael was the leader at the bell despite a slow start. At the 800m mark Millburn Michael held the lead by a metre while Joe Bro was sitting out three wide. After a 33.3 second quarter, the eventual winner loomed up alongside Millburn Michael. The pair ran side by side throughout the 29.4 third quarter before Joe Bro went into the lead going into the home straight.

Millburn Michael pulled out all he had, putting the pressure on Joe Bro to maintain the lead. Although Millburn Michael’s last burst of acceleration shortened the winning margin to just a head, Joe Bro held onto the lead long enough to take out the title.

The fourth quarter was run in 29.1 and the mile rate was a solid 2:05.3.

The winning son of Sundon has now won eight of their 15 career starts for just over $57, 000 in prizemoney.

The other feature harness race at the meeting was the Terang & District Co-op Pacing Cup won by Ti Vogliobene ($9) 1.7m ahead of the $4.60 favourite Ohoka Nevada.

Also held over the weekend was the $10 000 Wangaratta Trotters Cup at Shepparton on Sunday where seven-year-old mare Thepowerofhealing claimed victory.

2010 Terang Trotters Cup Results:

11 top pacers from many of the country’s leading trainers and drivers are engaged in the 2680m standing start event including the Geoff Webster trained and driven Millburn Michael.

Drawn ideally in barrier one, the Hodonmyheart gelding has not had the best recent form but a good start may see his luck change here.

Another premier trainer with a runner in the Terang Cup is Lance Justice. Justice will be the reinsman behind Earl Of Mot on Saturday from barrier six. An experienced squaregaiter, Earl Of Mot has a sharp best winning mile rate of 1:56.2 and has amassed over $200 000 in prizemoney over his 15 career victories.

Although no last-start horses are running in the Terang Cup, Michelle Manning’s Bete Noire has displayed some really impressive and consistent recent form. Despite drawing awkwardly with barrier seven, the Sundon gelding is still has a real chance on Saturday.

Bete Noire is one of a number of Terang Cup starters coming off a run in the prestigious Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Grand Final who will appreciate the drop back in class on Saturday.

Bete Noire placed second-last in the Inter Dominion just ahead of Dream A Moment. Kerryn Manning’s Dream A Moment had a terrible time in the Inter Dominion and has suffered a blow to their run this Saturday having drawn the backrow barrier 11.

Red Samurai is another recent Inter Dominion Championship final qualifier, placing tenth. The Clinton Welsh-trained and driven Sundon colt will start from eight in the Terang Cup.

The Terang Trotters Cup is scheduled as race five at the meeting’s quality nine-event programme and is due to start at 8:30pm (VIC time). The other feature harness event at the meeting is the $25 000 Terang Pacing Cup (Race 7 – 9:32pm) where the Hollywood Bromac, Tear It All Away, Ohoka Nevada and Ti Vogliobene are all starring in.

Trotting fans will also enjoy the $10 000 Wangaratta Trotters Cup at Shepparton on Sunday.

2010 Terang Trotters Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw:

In a shock defeat and one of the biggest harness racing upsets in recent years, the highly fancied Chris Lang-trained champion Skyvalley nearly had his Inter Dominion dreams cut short when he only just managed to finish within the required top six to earn a spot in next Saturday’s final.

It was an unexpected finish in the first semi final when seven-year-old Cillas Earl ($25.30), trained and driven by Michael Marais, claimed a lengthy 4.3m victory ahead of extreme long-shot Bete Noire ($82.10) with Solar Active ($41.10) 1.3m further back for third.

Fourth place went to another roughie, Red Samurai ($94.30) who defeated the pre-race favourite at the shortest possible TAB price, $1.04, Skyvalley by 1.5m. It was a strong finish for Red Samurai who sat in last place as they passed the 800 metres.

Five-year-old Skyvalley started sensationally, displaying good speed from gate six. After sitting three wide early, driver Chris Lang Jnr. had the Muscles Yankee colt leading at the bell by nearly 5m. But Skyvalley pulled hard in the lead, running himself ragged after a blistering 29.7 first quarter, which was the fastest of the race.

Skyvalley was then overtaken by Cillas Earl on the final turn and failed to come back or threaten the lead again.

Chris Lang was soon smiling again though, when he took out the second semi with his star Sundons Gift.

The champion eight-year-old Sundon gelding started as the $1.40 favourite and proved why when he ran a great all the way win, defeating early leader Acacia Ridge ($1.90) by 3.2m with Heyzeal a distant third nearly 9m back from the winner.

Second favourite Don King ($5.20) came in fourth followed by Dream A Moment with Kasyanov finishing off the six final qualifiers.

The Grand Final of the Inter Dominion will take place at Moonee Valley this Saturday, February 6, with the barrier draw for the event happening this Tuesday.

One of the big names to watch out for is the Gavin Lang-trained Don King starting from barrier three. The ever-improving New Zealand trotter is coming off a sensational string of success, having won seven from eight race starts this season, placing second to In Pursuit in the other. The Sundon gelding has won 14 of his 25 career starts.

Lang, who will drive six-year-old Don King in the event after driving him to a super impressive victory in the heats, also has the 2009 Dullard Cup third placegetter, Save A Sixpence, contesting the Dullard. The consistently good horse, and four time Group 1 placegetter, jumping beside their stablemate from barrier four. Lang co-trains both of the runners, who have been installed as equal favourites in the pre-race betting markets following their favourable barrier draws, with his father Graeme.

Meanwhile, Lance Justice’s Earl Of Mot has secured barrier one in the 2760m standing start event with Dream A Moment, trained and driven by Kerryn Manning, drawing barrier two.

The V L Dullard Trotters Cup falls as race seven on the monster nine-race programme at Tabcorp Park on Friday night and is scheduled to start at 9:40pm (VIC time).

The other highlight race of the night to follow will be race eight, the $25 000 Harness Breeders VIC Gold Chalice at 10:10pm. Pre-post favourite for the Gold Chalice looks to be Lady Belladonna, the Vicbred Super Series and Tabcorp Breeders Crown second placegetter returning to the track following her sensational two-year-old season last year.

Also headlining the programme on Friday night will be the $20 000 SEW-Eurodrive New Year Sprint (1720m) and the $20 000 Harness Breeders VIC Richmond Lass for mares.

Tabcorp Park VIC Race Programme – Friday Night January 8:

V L Dullard Trotters Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw:

The bay gelding by Monarchy (USA) out of Going Alone (NZ) driven by M. Marais scored a 2m victory ahead of runner-up Dream A Moment ($3.20) with the odds-on favourite starting the race, Ronerail ($3.00), coming in third some 8.2m from the winner. It was an impressive victory despite In Pursuit’s driver being fined, In Pursuit clocked a gross time of 3.38.8.

Runner-up Dream A Moment and K. Manning surrendered the lead early and were behind the leader and eventual winner In Pursuit by the bell. The emerging trotting star and early favourite for the race, Heyzeal, was a late scratching reducing the final field to nine trotters.

In Pursuit’s next race start will be this Friday night at Tabcorp Park Melton in the $12 000 Weirs St Arnaud Supa IGA Cup.

Group 3 Chris Howe Trotters Cup Results:

Scratchings:

HEYZEAL (LATE)